Contrast, Balance, and Harmony

This picture was taken by @ownthelight, who is a photographer that I follow and admire. The first thing that strikes me when I see this picture is the contrast of the bridge interrupting the forest of really compacted trees. The fact that the picture is cropped to have the bridge right in the center acts at a very symmetrical divider of the picture adding good balance.

I especially love the colors. The overall tone really appeals to me because you can set yourself in the environment and almost feel what the weather would be like, crisp and cold. The dark browns and oranges of the dirt contrast well with the light blue of the river water and green of the pine trees. For me, the color of the bridge slightly mimics the color of the river acting like a second "man-made" river structure in the picture.

In addition, something about the river underneath the bridge, the trees, and the bridge itself all bring a sense of harmony because when you first glance at the image it appears abstract. Then you gradually pick out those individual pieces that are making up the picture. That is my favorite part. You realize that the line down the center is a bridge and the curvy line through the forest is a river and then it all makes sense.